The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has finally shut down Akanu Indian International Airport Enugu.
The Airport was shut down 2300 hours (12 midnight Friday). 

However, a concession was given to Ethiopian Airline flight to land on Saturday because it was a pre-scheduled international flight before the decision to shut the airport.

The airline had argued that the cost of conveying passengers from Port-Harcourt International airport to Enugu by road and providing accommodation for them would be too heavy on the airline, and therefore should be allowed to drop the passengers at Enugu since the flight was scheduled before announcement to shut down the airport.

FAAN had on Saturday August 17 announced it’s intention to close down the runway of Akanu Ibiam International Airport on Saturday, August 24, to effect maintenance that will enhance safety operations.

Henrietta Yakubu, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, dropped the hint in a press statement in Lagos.

“This move is aimed at resolving the existing Safety/Security concerns to flight operations,” she said.

She stressed that the date of the re opening will be communicated in due course.

Despite a passionate letter written to President Muhammad Bihari by governors of South East states to weight in and pressure FAAN to postpone the shutdown pending when alternative arrangements were made, the Federal Government went ahead with the shutdown.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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